


Shadows and Snow

by FateRagalan



Category: CAT:TWS, Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Captain America: The First Avenger - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 1980s, Blood and Gore, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Torture, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Captain America: The First Avenger, Pre-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Some Fluff, action and adventure, child oc, domestic at times
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:22:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25059205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FateRagalan/pseuds/FateRagalan
Summary: Lily lives a sheltered life. Her parents -Very high ranking Hydra members- barely pay attention to her. She spends most of her days reading books outside with numerous guards. On one fateful evening her parents throw a lavish party. Like always she retreats to the outdoors, except this time there is a man -she can only assume is a guard- standing in the shadows. The other guards are avoiding the hidden figure like the plague, but she is intrigued. Will her attempts to communicate with the shadowy figure succeed or fail?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Shadows and Snow

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so this is my first fic on AO3 so things might feel and look a little wonkie at First lol
> 
> I don’t beta any of this so if there’s mistakes.... ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Enjoy!

Text in “[ ]” is In Russian-

Delilah Scott was by no means an average child. For one she had never stepped foot anywhere her entire life without an escort. Visits to and from her grandparents manor were no exception, nor was a simple evening in her own family’s garden. She had grown up with a constant presence of someone standing only 10 feet away. To her this was normal, this did not deter her from wanting to see the world by herself however. Every year on her birthday her parents would allow her to go any place she wanted in the nearby city -with multiple escorts- and do anything she wanted that day, with relative freedom. This only lasted til her 7th birthday however when an ‘unfortunate incident’ occurred while at the boardwalk. She had been peacefully eating an ice cream cone when a loud shot rang out she jumped when a warm splash hit her back and head. She had no idea what had happened until the other 3 escorts with her quickly pushed her to the ground and then carried her to the car. She didn’t register until she was deposited in the safety of the car what exactly had splashed all over her. She stuck a chocolate ice cream stained hand to the back of her neck only to pull it away covered in a deep crimson sheen. She remembers staring at her hand until one of the escorts took her hand and wiped it down with a towel in the back seat of the now moving car. She looked away after that just watching the trees as they made their way back to the estate.

She didn’t notice until she was carried into the house that there were only 3 of her 4 escorts. She asked where Tom the large older escort had gone and she was only told that he had saved her life but would not be around anymore. She was sad for a long time, Tom would play checkers with her in the study and was more like a grandfather to her than her own. Her parents had simply told her she shouldn’t be sad and that he just did the minimum of what was asked of him. After that there were no more birthday outings. Often she would ask her mother and father -when he was around- why she wasn’t allowed to do most things normal kids did and would often receive a simple _‘because’_ or a _‘too dangerous’_. She learned quickly that she should never question why. Most of the time her mother would just send her to the in-home tutor for extra lessons if she questioned, usually with a _‘Questioning adults is not proper, lily.’_ And a gaze that held only annoyance. While her father would shoo her away and make the escorts take her outside for the rest of the day. Her father was a businessman of sorts, what he did was quite unknown to her only that he dealt with money, and lots of it for very powerful people.

Sometimes when her parents had dinner parties some of them would arrive in lavish cars with pretty women covered in diamonds and other jewels, their dresses were always pristine and they carried a large whiff of snobbery. Often she would see these people on the news for one reason or another. Mostly for being high powered rich people. She was often out of place at these events, standing off to the side and only talking when her mother would beckon her over to say a short greeting and compliment to some of the guests, her parents were firm believers in the _‘children are to_ _be seen not heard’_ opinion. Usually Her father would invite most of the men into his private smoking room after a few hours of mingling or dancing and they would be in there for most of the night. She was forbidden to go in there. Which she didn’t mind too much as most of the men were off putting to say the least. Some had large leers upon their faces at all times and seemed to ooze stupidity. Others had smiles on their faces that didn’t ever quite reach the eyes that would exude an air of something not being quite right with them. Most were boisterous and felt that they were the most important in the room. Yes, she would never go in that room no matter how curious she could get. She would usually find herself sitting in a chair off in the foyer or reading in the doorway of her open study just off of the main hall. Her escorts were not always with her in the house. Most of the time they would take up positions of standing in the halls or one just outside the room she was occupying. But at parties they would stand around in the corners of the ballroom or dinning hall. This gave her some freedom.

One day there was a party at the estate in celebration of some accomplishment, she didn’t care all that much what the parties were for but there had been more guests than usual this time. Some wore military dress uniforms while most wore the usual fancy gowns and tuxedos. It was a gala tonight complete with catering. The usual security was doubled and were in every corner of the largely populated rooms while others walked outside. When people had started to arrive her mother and father made her greet the guests along with them. She would say a simple hello and usually that would be it for each guest as they were more there to talk to her parents anyway. Occasionally they would ask questions like _‘how old are you now?’_ Or say that she was _‘turning into a beautiful young lady’_ be most just simply complimented her parents on raising such a polite girl. After all the important guests had arrived her mother turned to her, dropping her perfect smile into a bored stare simply patting her head to go away now. She walked to one of the open back French doors that let a cool breeze into the packed area most guests congregated in. She stepped out into the cool evening air, it didn’t really bother her. She preferred to be outside than in with the snobs and fakes.

Even at 9 years old she could see right through their facades. Most were trying to buddy up to the more powerful guests to gain a new position or shift some more power their way, the ones that were too obvious in their methods were never invited into her father's private room. only the very important people ever went in there leaving a large portion of the guests out in the main area pining to one day be invited in. At a gala as big as this she could slip away unnoticed and spend her time outside or in the study. She would sometimes be greeted by the guards outside and they would exchange pleasantries such as _‘how are you?’_ Or _‘are you enjoying the partie?’_ She would usually shrug at the second question which she could never do with her parents around as it was ‘improper’. The guards for the most part were okay to talk to, they usually talked down to her but not in the way the party guests would. Sometimes she would bring them out plates full of the food being served and they would loosen up some and act like normal people she had seen on tv or back when she would go out on her birthday. She liked to watch them interact with each other since they seemed to be friends with one another, and not in the way the party guests are -fake, and waiting to see each other fall- she often wondered if she had friends if they would talk like the guards did to each other, teasing at times but humor laced with most words. She sat down on the paving stone patio area in her fancy party dress that her mother had bought her for this occasion, it was a pear green with lots of frills and tiny white flowers embroidered on it. When she went with her mother to get the dress tailored the lady who owned the shop had said that it brought out the strawberry color of her hair and the honey in her eyes, she thought of that while sitting on the patio. Her mother often said that she wished her eyes were not brown and more green like her fathers, her mother would then accompany that with a sigh and a _‘at least you have decent bone structure.’_ Her mother would say things like that once in a while, or how she wished that she had a little boy to carry on the family name, often with a resigned flicker over her features before walking away. She sat outside for a while just watching the distant silhouette of some guards walking the grounds. She saw one of her old escorts taking up a new spot near the patio with another guard she stood up as they walked over, the former escort -Ryan- was conversing with the other guard and she smiled slightly as she neared. 

“Hello Mr. Ryan.” She grinned. 

Ryan turned to her with a small grin and stuck his hand out for her to shake in greeting slightly stooping to her level.

“Hello again Miss lily. How are you tonight?”

Lily shrugged slightly before saying a quick, 

“I’m alright.” 

Ryan smiled before turning to the other guard 

“ This is Dan, he’s patrolling with me tonight.” Dan raised his hand out awkwardly for her to shake, she grabbed his hand and shook lightly before speaking again.

”nice to meet you Mr. Dan I’m Delilah Scott but you can call me Lily.”

Dan looked a little confused at her formal greeting but simply nodded in acknowledgment.

“So Lily, are you taking orders for the buffet yet? I think I saw the line thin out some the last time I walked by the window.” She nodded before turning back to Dan. 

“ anything specific I should not get?”

He looked once again a little surprised and then stuttered out a

“oh ah… anything’s fine.” Before adjusting the strap of his rifle on his shoulder. 

She quickly gave them a thumbs up and headed back inside towards the buffet table. She loaded up two plates of as much as she could before making her stealthy escape back to the patio. Before she stepped out she saw two new people outside standing just out of the shadows. One was a more portly man in a fancy military dress uniform with his hat on covering his shiny bald head, while the other looked like a very menacingly large man standing perfectly still. The bald officer was talking to the half hidden intimidating man in a language she could not understand. She stepped off to the side of the doorway as the bald man finished talking and walked back inside not even giving her notice. On the other side of the patio Ryan and Dan stood rigidly glancing at anywhere but the shadowy area the man occupied. She stepped out onto the patio giving the man a glance only to see only black boots and black pants, everything else obscured by the shadowy corner of the patio. She continued over to Dan and Ryan handing them their plates from the buffet. They thanked her quietly and ate fast. she noticed that Dan had sweat rolling down his brow in thick drops and Ryan's hands shook slightly she found this odd. 

She had seen escorts or guards tense up when a guest came around once or twice but never to that extent. She raised an eyebrow as the both finished and handed her the plates before Ryan murmured something about going to continue his route Dan followed soon after. Ryan and Dan quickly walked away as fast as they could, turning a corner into the garden and into the darkness in which she couldn’t see. She watched them leave feeling a little sad that they left so fast but she didn’t dwell for long. She quickly walked back inside and placed the empty plates on one of the ballroom tables littered with other dishes and then retreated outside not before grabbing two apples from a bowl of fruit meant to be ‘decoration’ they were perfectly good apples and they would be thrown away any way. She stepped back out and turned to the shadowy crevice and saw that the man had yet to move a millimeter form his spot. She sat down a few feet away from him leaning against the estate house's exterior wall. The doorway inside sat to her right while the brick of the patio wall was behind where the man stood. She could not see the wall but after hours of parties spent out on the lit patio she could see where every piece of furniture or fixture was even behind closed eyes. She glanced over to his boot covered feet peeking out of the darkness. Still he did not move. She looked into the darkness to see if she could try meeting his eyes without actually seeing him, maybe that would get him to move slightly or say something. This did nothing and she gave up trying to squint into the shadows, instead she poked at the perfectly cleaned paver tiles of the patio.

”hi.” She said quietly. 

No response. 

“I’m Delilah Scott, but everyone calls me lily.” 

She continued poking the ground picking at a loose bit of paver stone.

“You must be guarding the estate.” She whispered to the darkness. 

Not even a twitch of the foot adjusting while standing. She was intrigued by this new guard. Usually guards would talk to her or just tell her that they were busy and couldn’t talk. But this one was different, she was amazed at how he had not budged an inch or even shifted his weight from foot to foot, she had spent a lot of time watching people but she had never met anyone like him before.

”you seem like a good listener.” 

She stated quietly before picking up the end of her dress and tracing a finger over the small white flowers on it.

”is it ok if i talk to you? You don’t have to say anything since you’re doing your job and all though.” She was once again met with silence, she took it as permission to continue.

”I’m not a big fan of these parties. I only like them when I get to sit out here. You seem like the kind of person to not like parties that much either.” She stared up towards the garden on the other side of the lawn.

“Sometimes at these parties I read a book but then my mother gets mad and says I should be doing something more productive so that her and father don’t look like fools.” She quickly tensed before saying a bit louder than a whisper, 

“don’t tell anybody i said that please.” She glanced over to the shadow covered man before continuing checking to see if he had moved.

He hadn’t. 

“Sometimes I wish I was a flower like the ones in the garden. If i was a flower i could grow with all the other flowers and enjoy their company.” She paused thoughtfully before continuing.

” I could stay outside all day and enjoy the sun too.” 

She smiled softly at the thought of being a flower, she could be any color she wanted and sit in the flower bed with no parties to have to attend.

”if i was a flower i would want to be a Christmas Rose. They only bloom in winter and that’s my favorite season. I like it when it snows at night and you can see the flakes in the sky, I think They look like dozens upon dozens of tiny ballerinas.” 

She looked up to the sky and tilted her head towards the shadowy corner.

” I bet you think flowers are boring, but you’d be wrong. There’s lots of different kinds of flowers, some are as big as a soup bowl while others are as tiny as a fingernail! Did you know some flowers are poisonous while some are edible? Could you imagine eating a flower? I don’t think I could. I like looking at flowers more than eating them.” She giggled slightly.

She frowned a little realizing she had rambled about flowers for a while.

”sorry I’m talking so much. I don’t actually talk this much to most people, i guess you’re just nice to talk to…” she brought her knees up to her chest making sure to bring her dress over them, she hugged her legs close.

”I don’t have any friends so I don’t get to talk to much of anyone that isn't just pleasantries.” She smiled sadly at her feet before unfolding from her balled up state. 

“I guess i should go in before my mother starts looking for me… I have to say goodbye to some of the special guests that are leaving.” She quickly picked up the two apples she nabbed from the buffet and sat them down by his feet on a napkin she had grabbed.

”you can have one of these while I’m gone if you want to. Just leave me one please.” She patted the top of the toe of the man in the shadows boot lightly before standing up and turning to go in. 

“I guess ill see you later. Have a good night Mr.”She whispered out a little louder since she was closer to the door. 

Her mother stepped out into the hall as she stepped inside

”There you are. We need to send off some guests now.” Her mother said plainly before walking towards the foyer expecting her to follow.

She followed quickly and stood next to her mother who said goodbye to some guests and took compliments on the ‘wonderful’ party. After the last few early departures left she once again turned to her and patted the top of her head.

”it's time for bed, go on up.” Her mother spoke with a small sigh of exhaustion. 

She nodded and made her way to the stairs. She stopped before going up and turned back to the patio. She knew she wasn’t allowed to have food upstairs but the apple sounded extremely appetizing. She caved and walked out to the patio turning to the left where the shadowy corner was. There was no man there this time, only the darkness. She stepped over to the napkin that now only had one apple on it. A small smile creeped on her face. The man had been listening after all. She claimed her apple and went back inside.

————————————————————————————————————— 

He had been ordered to follow outside by his handler. He stood rigidly in the partial shadow like he was trained once they made it outside. After barking for him to ‘stay and guard while awaiting for further orders’ his handler turned to leave mumbling “Idiot” under his breath. He did not understand why the handler had switched to English he could understand many languages.he ignored what he said since it was not an order or mission pertinent. He stood in his spot half in the shadows observing the majority of the lawn. Down across the patio two guards stood fearfully clutching their rifle’s shoulder strap tightly. He let his gaze drag over them assessing their aptitude and threat level. To say the level was low would be an understatement. One trembled while the other had sweat practically pouring down his face. If he had to take them on separate or at once he could neutralize them within 0.6 seconds. Most likely slamming their heads against each other. Even though they were Hydra guards and low threat level he kept an eye on them. He never underestimated potential targets. He was trained to be effective and to neutralize threats with extreme prejudice.

His focus shifted when he heard approaching footsteps. They were light and small, he eyed the doorway for the unknown to walk through. Out stepped a small girl. She held two plates of food in her hands and she eyed him curiously before stepping out, there was something tucked into the waistband of her dress. It was sphere shaped. A grenade? No. He discerned that it was not a grenade,- instead likely an apple, if the stem peaking out said as much- and let his hand that was creeping to one of his knives fall back to its resting position. He had noticed a presence while receiving orders but he was to not act on it. His eyes followed her to the guards across the patio, she handed them the plates of food and stood back. He assessed her threat level and came to a swift conclusion that she had close to none it was significantly lower than the guards. If the need arose to incapacitate her, he could do so with varying levels of her survival. He could easily throw her against the patio's brick wall rail or simply snap her neck with his right hand, there would be no need for the left because of her small stature and young age. She glanced back in his direction once or twice. The guards swiftly ate what the girl had brought them and made their leave of the patio with fear leaking from each pore. The girl was alone now, her low chance of becoming a threat was now nonexistent. She stood on the other side of the patio for a few seconds before making her way to the doorway into the manor. Only she stopped next to the wall and sat down only 4 ft away from him. He could hear her small calm breaths in the evening air. She was breathing evenly and slowly. She was not afraid. He studied her vacantly. She seemed normal, she did not hold herself with the kind of feigned courage that the handler did. She had an air of curiosity settling around her. 

He could detect no threats in the surrounding lawn, so he stared at the girl. She suddenly looked into his eyes but it seemed she couldn’t actually see anything. She seemed to search the shadows for something before settling back to her leaned position against the brick wall. He could smash her head down to the pavement with ease. Or send a swift kick to her head if ordered to do so. He found her confusing. She was no handler nor was she an agent of hydra. So what was she? She had yet to be designated as a target, all the people in the house were not targets but she seemed out of place. He was studying her for any signs of threat elevation or ulterior motives. She must be a test, he concluded. Soon a handler will come out and order him to do something about her, he mentally steeled. She however seemed oblivious to much around her. She lacked any hint of alertness or concern.

Finally after a small silence she spoke.

“Hi.” She whispered.

He found this once again confusing. He detected no one else in the vicinity. He had non recollection of ever being whispered to. It made his brow furrow slightly for a second. Was there a listening device nearby perhaps? He began searching with precision for anything out of ordinary from his position. She took in a slightly larger breath again.

“I’m Delilah Scott, but everyone calls me lily.” She once again whispered.

He took this information for later, if a handler did order him to collect information or neutralize a target, this information could prove useful. She spoke softly and hushed like the last breath of a dying man. She spoke in English to him. This was no big surprise to him, most of the people at this gathering spoke in English. Except, they never spoke to him in English. Well no one spoke to him except his handlers, but when they did it was always in Russian. That was intriguing. She was no handler -her speaking in English reinforced this,- yet she was trying to initiate conversation. She was obviously no operative for she didn’t once check her surroundings nor did she pick a strategic place to sit. She could easily be incapacitated from her position it was directly across from the large open steps that led to the lawn from the patio and she was visible in the window near the large open doors. 

“You must be guarding the estate.” She stated in a whisper.

Was she trying to extract information from him? Her approach was not well thought out, he assessed. 

“you seem like a good listener.” She fidgeted in her spot. 

He narrowed his eyes a sliver. Yes, this must be a test. It had to be. Throughout his training he was never talked to unless it was mission critical or instruction.

”is it ok if i talk to you? You don’t have to say anything since you’re doing your job and all, though.” She whispered still, leaning in his direction slightly.

He felt wrong. This one sided conversation was not part of the mission but it was also _not,_ not part of the mission. It hurt to think about, he could feel his fists tightening. No she was no target and the mission was to stand at this post and guard. 

”I’m not a big fan of these parties. I only like them when I get to sit out here. You seem like the kind of person to not like parties that much either.” 

She stared up towards the garden on the other side of the lawn. Was she trying to read him? He internally scoffed at this. No she was trying something he couldn’t place the feeling though. It felt familiar like this had happened multiple times before but he had no recollection of any such time. I hurt to try and scrape his mind for an instance of this happening. He could hear her talking but he chose to ignore her words. The feeling caused him pain if he thought about it too much.

Suddenly the girl tensed. A look of fear crossed her face. He had seen many fearful looks but for once this was not directed at him. A questioning frown tugged at his masked covered lips.

“don’t tell anybody i said that please.” She glanced in his direction whispering louder than before.

He furrowed his brows mentally beating himself. He had missed a piece of potentially valuable information. Although how valuable could her information be? He listened to her talk about, flowers of all things. He of course didn’t even give off a hint of his attention on her. He deemed her ‘information’ useless within the first sentence. Occasionally she would bob her head in his direction while whispering at him. She would often search his feet for movement, he of course had not moved at all since walking out onto the patio. It was not necessary to have secondary movements and he did not fatigue from merely standing. Suddenly the girl giggled quietly. It was an odd noise. He had an inkling familiarity of it but he himself could not recall ever hearing a child laugh in his presence. Sure he had foggy memories of doing missions in public places and children were present but none had actually known he was there while they giggled amongst themselves. Just as quick as a smile graced her face it turned into a tight frown.

”sorry I’m talking so much. I don’t actually talk this much to most people, I guess you’re just nice to talk to…” This caught his attention.

He had been called many things in the 48 hours he had been awake but ‘nice to talk to’ was not one. He thought about changing position on the patio but a quick survey suggested he was already in the most strategic position. His handler could be back any minute with new orders. And he was told to stay put. He quickly quashed down the idea to change position. While he was scanning and plotting the girl hand curled up into a sort of sitting defensive ball.

”I don’t have any friends so I don’t get to talk to much of anyone that isn't just pleasantries.” She smiled sadly at her feet.

He did not quite understand why she was telling him this, he by no means had initiated any kind of interaction. He definitely didn’t understand what pleasantries were, he knew of friendship, targets tended to flee to those they deemed ‘friends’ so it was important to know of any connections deemed ‘friend’. He made sure to note that she had no connections deemed as ‘friends’, if she were to be a target it would be that much easier. This whole time he had constructed a figurative mission file in his brain of the interaction. He would not disclose this on his final mission report as it was not pertinent to his mission of ‘stay and guard while awaiting for further orders’.

“I guess i should go in before my mother starts looking for me… I have to say goodbye to some of the special guests that are leaving.” She frowned slightly as she reached to her waistband.

He smothered the urge to stop her. It was no weapon, just the apples from before. They were shiny and plump, she laid them on a napkin on the ground. He stared down at them. What were they for?

”you can have one of these while I’m gone if you want to. Just leave me one please.” She patted the top of his boots toe and his furrowed brow shot even lower.

He watched as she stood.

“I guess i'll see you later. Have a good night Mr.” she whispered once again and left through the door into the house.

He stared at the red fruit on the patio tile. His mind raced at her words, why would she give him an apple? Was one poisoned? Was this a test? No, he thought. They wouldn’t test him like that at a gathering such as this. She wished him a good night? What does that mean? Again his mind was assaulted with questions. He let the questions fizzle out of his mind. They were not mission critical. She was not designated as a handler, but she was at this very important gathering. What would happen if he didn’t take an apple? He reached down to one and grasped it gently. It was free of brown spots and as shiny as his arm. He deposited it in one of the pockets of his black cargo pants. Footsteps were now approaching the patio doors. They were heavy and languid.

Not the girls.

He could smell alcohol and grease, it was his handler. Out the man stepped and stumbled towards him, eyes squinted and clothes slightly disheveled.

“[soldier, your new orders are to patrol the estate grounds. We don’t need any interruptions. If there is a trespasser eliminate them.]” the handler looked into the general area he stood in barely keeping himself upright.

“[Yes sir.]” he stated monotonously. The handler turned and ‘hmmphd’ loudly before staggering into the house.

He turned and left to begin a patrol route, leaving one apple on the napkin.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I would like to update this story fairly often and i might. But I am also probably going to drop off the face of the earth for a few months due to certain circumstances, but i do plan to continue this!  
> I also like to try and make about 4-5 thousand word chapters if i can.
> 
> Comments are appreciated! Any feed back really. Remember it doesn’t hurt to leave a kudo ;D


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